This undated image provided by INDA, an industry trade group, shows the universal stick-figure, do-not-flush symbol to put on packaging of bathroom wipes that should not be flushed into sewer systems. The increasingly popular bathroom wipes — thick, pre-moistened towelettes that are advertised as flushable — are creating clogs and backups in sewer systems around the nation. (AP Photo/INDA)

In increasing numbers, Americans are adding to their bathroom routines.

Next to the facial tissue and toilet paper in every grocery store is now a section filled with pre-moistened wipes, similar to baby wipes, designed to be used by adults and flushed down the toilet. Many of these products, however, are proving to be a problem for the average homeowner, clogging toilets and sewer pipes and costing a lot of money in plumbing fees.

“They definitely clog sewer lines. I love them. They keep me in business,” said Johnny “Pipewrench” DiPatri, a plumber who works for the Sicklerville-based Bovio Heating, Air Conditioning and Plumbing company. “They always say you can flush them. It says on the box it’s flushable, but it’s just like putting paper towels down your toilet.”

It all comes down to what the product is made of and how thick the wipes are.

Kimberly-Clark, the company behind Cottonelle, Scott naturals, Pull-Ups and Huggies, was prompted to put a section on its website regarding what can be flushed and what can’t be after reports of non-flushable materials clogging drains.

“All of our products that are labeled as flushable meet or exceed the current industry guidelines for assessing the flushability of non-woven products,” the website reads.

For utility companies in South Jersey, flushable wipes have yet to be a huge problem, but administrations do warn against flushing too much of anything down a toilet.

The Gloucester County Utilities Authority has not seen much of an problem due to the large pipes it utilizes, according to Manager of Operations Tom Sholders, but he has heard that some towns with smaller lines are having issues.

“It’s like with anything, if you use too much it’s going to get somewhere you don’t want it to be,” he said. "Anything in excess will cause problems.”

Low-flow toilets, which flush with only one or two gallons of water compared to the five gallons of a higher-capacity toilet, are more likely to see clogs of heavier materials. As long as individuals are not putting a large amount of wipes down the toilet, there shouldn’t be a problem. Also, all users are encouraged to read the labels of products they buy to make sure they actually are flushable.

One exception is septic systems. Anyone with a septic system is encouraged to never flush personal wipes — or any materials other than toilet paper — because of the ramifications that can have.

“People with septic systems shouldn’t be putting it down the drain at all,” Weber said. “That’s why they have certain toilet paper for septic systems. They break down easier.”